


Your Friends Are Full of Shit

by he_tells_of_spring_returning



Series: It's A Wonderful World! [2]
Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: just a bit before we work our way to canon, mention of parents - Freeform, originally josh was supposed to be in this but i'll save it for the next one, tenmei's having a crisis so honestly don't read if you're not in a good headspace plz i worry for u, tenmei's having a small episode at the realization that maybe his uhhh life isn't all so daijobu, this is mostly tenmei centric, tw for mention of skipping meals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:55:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26206804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/he_tells_of_spring_returning/pseuds/he_tells_of_spring_returning
Summary: Tenmei never needed friends. He was too busy for them.Being an idol surely was worth the sacrifices!Right?
Series: It's A Wonderful World! [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1889926
Kudos: 2





	Your Friends Are Full of Shit

**Author's Note:**

> five years post My Lovenote Has Gone Flat  
> Tenmei's moved in with Eiji's one room apartment in A-East.  
> He's trying his best to get used to his life.

Moving in with Eiji was good for Tenmei.

He had missed his brother a lot. Sendai was lonely when it was just him. He doesn't have to worry about that anymore. He's with Eiji now! He should be happy! He's worked his ass off the past couple of years. Eiji really put in some good words to get him where he is, and he's grateful for his brother. Truly! Being an idol in Shibuya, acting on the side with his brother in the occasional drama, and modeling for D+B, Lapin Angelique, Pegaso, Wild Boar AND Gatito? Tenmei's popularity is through the roof right now! Eiji and Tenmei practically run Shibuya.

F Everything took off so unexpectedly and Tenmei got picked up by Kitaniji Records. Photo shoots, recording sessions and press interviews were all they did nowadays.

It's not like it was so different from doing small local shoots for the markets and boutiques back in Sendai, recording himself on the balcony after school singing to himself. The only difference was he was home, with Eiji.

Yeah, living in A-East isn't exactly safe but to him it was home.

Tenmei's phone snaps him out of his thoughts. He clumsily reached for his phone and answered.  
"Eh-hello hello!"  
"Mei-sama! Is now a good time?"  
"Ah Kitaniji! Of course! What can I do?"  
Tenmei put his phone on speaker and prepared his bag to go out, knowing Kitanji was most likely going to send him to the concert hall for rehearsal or the studio to re-record something.  
"I wanted to congratulate you," Tenmei stopped in his tracks as Kitaniji laughed.  
"Thank you sir but don't you need me somewhere-"  
"Not today. I figured I'd give you a break...Some time to go out and have fun with friends or family! Next week, we start mixing and I want you there to approve what we've come up with before we release em. We can talk about the schedule for your appearances at AMX and Tower!"  
"I don't know what to say, um, thank you Kitaniji-san..."  
"Anything for Shibuya's siren. I'll text you next week's schedule."  
"Yes sir. Thank you, again-"  
"Don't worry about it, kid. You're doing great. See you soon."

Tenmei let the line ring out as the call dropped.  
He hated having free days.  
Free time meant thinking time.

Ten glanced at the time on his phone.  
14:03  
Eiji wouldn't be back for at least five more hours. They always overworked him. Tenmei hated that.

Then again, Eiji always argued that Tenmei was overworked too...

Tenmei collapsed on their shared futon and sighed. He hasn't had a free day since moving to Shibuya a few months ago. The only people he knows are co-workers more than "friends" really. Acquaintances and names with blurry faces. Not even Def March are his friends...they kind of just...know each other through Eiji.

Actually, now that he thinks about it, Tenmei can't really remember ever having friends.

It's always been Tenmei and Eiji. They never strayed far from each other. Even when Tenmei was toughing it out in Sendai by himself, he never made time for people other than Eiji.

It's always been get good grades so your brother didn't leave you for nothing! Make sure you stand out in auditions and role calls so you can join Eiji in the industry one day!

Remember to avoid giving the press a reason to target you!

Walk on constant eggshells!

Pretend to have a nuclear family to keep up appearances!

Ensure the neighbors that you're okay!

Pretend you don't hear what the other kids are saying about you and hide in your apartment!

Your apartment...

that you live in...

alone.

Remember that you are always alone.

Oh God, Tenmei's alone.

Was it worth it? Were years of loneliness all he was meant for?

A life doomed to being alone? No friends, no partner, and barely any family?

He feels sick, he thinks he's going to die.

He knows he's not, he's only being dramatic.

Tenmei's okay, really. Yet 19:00 rolls around and he hasn't moved.

He's only been lying in bed, pretending he hasn't been crying on and off for the past few hours. Skipping meals, out of habit and punishment.

Tenmei doesn't deserve all this. He worked hard for this. Ten worked so hard for this. He was in a much better place but why does he always spiral to this. Ten hears the door open and closes his eyes. Maybe he can pass off being asleep.

"Ten?" Eiji calls from the living room.

_Ignore Eiji._

_Don't reply_.

A soft knock on the door and he hears Eiji peeks in.

"Ten?" _Ignore him_.

Realistically, Eiji's hearing alarms. Ten's asleep but he isn't snoring. He's still wearing his glasses and his hair's not tied up or wrapped. Eiji doesn't want to push the envelope, especially after a long day of shooting. So, Eiji decides to do what he can.

Eiji sits by Tenmei and gently removes his glasses. He moves Ten's hair away from his face.

Even with little light, Eiji can see Ten flinch at his touch.

"I'm not going to ask what happened if you don't want to talk. Just know I'm here for you, okay?"

_Don't respond to Eiji. Don't give in to Eiji. You don't deserve what little you have._

Giving in, Tenmei only moves closer to Eiji and shakes violently, sobbing into his lap.

Eiji strokes Tenmei's hair and closes his eyes, shushing him and promising him better days. Eiji sings a song from their mother, a favorite from when he was a child, to Tenmei. Ten recognizes it as one Eiji sang to him when he was younger, it was his favorite.

Tenmei felt sleep lead him away from the moment. As always, Eiji followed.

Neither of them remember when they fell asleep that night.

They just knew that they were going to be okay.

Not in that moment but eventually.

They'll be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> dedicated to mari  
> it's nice having friends  
> lov u


End file.
